Commando. Predator. Total Recall. Who do you have in mind? No doubt, the Terminator
– Arnold Schwarzenegger -- paid millions for those action-packed films. But, did
you know that those paychecks didn’t even come close to his biggest paycheck ever,
not as an action star, but as a comedian in the 1988 film Twins?
Had you watched Twins, you might have remembered
laughing at the hilarious contrasts between the muscular and handsome Arnold and
his short and chubby twin brother, Danny DeVito. But, behind the scenes, Arnold
made a smart and risky move that paid off big time.
You see, Twins was not an easy film to get made.
The studios were skeptical about Arnold’s ability to do comedy, and they were
not willing to pay him his usual fee of $10 million. So, Arnold decided to do
something different. He said that he would star in the film for free if they
would give him a back-end profit-sharing deal. This meant that if the film
flopped, he would not get paid at all. But if the film was a hit, he would get
a percentage of the film’s profit.
And guess what? The film was a huge hit. It grossed
over $200 million worldwide, making it one of the most successful 1988 films.
And Arnold made about $40 million (worth $88 million today) from Twins more
than any other film in his career. He also proved that he could do comedy, and
opened up new opportunities for himself in Hollywood.
What Arnold did was expose himself to a Black Swan
event on a positive note. A Black Swan event is an unpredictable and
rare event that has a huge impact – either positive or negative – depending on
the perspective and readiness of the people involved. A small number of Black
Swans explains almost everything in our world, from the success of ideas
and religions to the dynamics of historical events, to elements of our own
lives. The Black Swan event was popularized by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, a
professor, economist, and writer, who applied it to various fields.
Not as historic as the 9/11 attack, the Eat Bulaga
(EB) & Tito, Vic & Joey (TVJ) breakup – unexpected and uncommon -- is a
Black Swan event in the context of the Philippine entertainment world with
a huge impact on the involved parties and our society.
On May 31, 2023, the EB & TVJ breaking news
shocked millions of viewers after 44 years of entertaining the Pinoy nation.
The trio announced their breakup from TAPE Inc., the production company behind
the show, which sparked a lot of reactions and speculations from the fans, the
media, and the industry.
CAUSES
According to various sources, the main cause of EB
& TVJ’s breakup was a conflict between them and the new management of TAPE
Inc., which was taken over by former congressman Romeo Jalosjos in late 2022.
Jalosjos reportedly wanted to make changes to the show that were not acceptable
to TVJ. He also allegedly failed to pay TVJ their salaries for 2022. On May 31,
TVJ were not allowed to air a live show by Jalosjos’ team. They then decided to
announce their breakup from TAPE Inc. on air, followed by their co-hosts and
most of the production staff.
CONSEQUENCES
Far-reaching and significant, the consequences for
TAPE Inc. meant losing its major talents and staff, as well as its reputation
and credibility. It also meant facing legal and financial challenges from GMA
Network where EB was being aired under a block time agreement until 2024.
For GMA Network, it meant losing its flagship show and
its loyal viewership and advertising revenues. It also meant finding new hosts
and staff for EB or replacing it with a new show.
For TV5, the rumored destination of EB & TVJ, it
meant gaining a popular show and its fan base.
For TVJ and their co-hosts, it meant facing
uncertainty and risk after leaving their home for 44 years. It also meant
finding a new network or channel for their show or projects.
For the EB fans and viewers, it meant losing their favorite show and hosts that they grew up watching. It also meant adjusting to a new reality or finding a new source of entertainment.
EB & TVJ BREAKUP AS BLACK SWAN EVENT
One characteristic of a Black Swan event is unpredictability
and rarity. EB & TVJ’s breakup fits this description, as it was unexpected,
a surprise, a shock, uncommon, and unique in the local entertainment world. Unexpected
-- no one saw it coming or predicted it. Surprise – for everyone involved,
especially for the fans and viewers who were used to watching it every day for
decades. Shock – for the media and the industry who were caught off guard by
the announcement. Uncommon – not something that happens often in TV
entertainment. Unique – to last for 44 years with the same hosts and format, as
well as having such a loyal fan base and influence on the culture.
Another characteristic of a Black Swan event –
it can either be positive or negative, depending on the perspective and readiness
of the people involved. It can have beneficial or harmful effects, depending on
how people view and respond to such an event.
UPSIDES
EB & TVJ breakup can create opportunities and
innovations for the parties involved, as well as for the TV industry and
culture. It can give TAPE Inc. and GMA Network a chance to reinvent themselves
and their shows coupled with attracting new talents and audiences. It can provide
TV5 a chance to showcase its capabilities and vision along with challenging the
status quo and competition. It can present TVJ and their co-hosts with a window
to explore new avenues and directions to go with expressing their creativity
and freedom. It can offer the fans and viewers a room to discover new shows and
sources of entertainment on top of broadening their horizons and preference.
DOWNSIDES
EB & TVJ breakup can create challenges and disruptions
for the parties involved and to the TV industry and culture. It can bring TAPE
Inc. and GMA Network on losing their market share and revenues on top of facing
legal and financial troubles. It can also set off TV5 in tackling criticism and
backlash besides dealing with high expectations and pressure. It can stir up
TVJ and their co-hosts to cope with uncertainty and risk in tandem with dealing
with legal issues or damages. It can affect the fans and viewers to feel sad
and disappointed not to mention losing their connection and loyalty.
Well, who knows? Perhaps, the EB & TVJ breakup would
spark off a Twins-like Black Swan event. Today’s entertainment
world may be as skeptical of EB & TVJ’s breakup aftereffects as the studios
then about Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ability to do comedy. In the end, the Twins
was a huge hit.
Just as Arnold’s doing something different, at the
risk of getting nothing, was ultimately paid off big time, so too, the EB &
TVJ’s doing something different, not only would all involved parties pull off
big time, but also, like Arnold, may prove to do something unexpected as well
as opening new opportunities for everyone.
The following food for thought by author Nancy Pearcy
is a nourishing way of wrapping up this article:
“Competition is always a good thing. It forces us to do our best. A monopoly renders people complacent and satisfied with mediocrity.”
Content put together in collaboration with Microsoft
Bing AI-powered co-pilot
Head collage photos courtesy of The Manila Times &
Sound Cloud
Video Clips courtesy of YouTube
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